Hollie Lamar Tull

Patrolman Hollie Tull was shot and killed after stopping two men who had just committed a bank robbery and the murder of three hostages. During the traffic stop Patrolman Tull was struck by two shotgun blasts.

Despite being severely wounded, Patrolman Tull was able to return to his patrol car to retrieve his shotgun and alert other officers of his location. The suspects followed him to the vehicle and he continued to struggle with them before being shot several more times with a .32 caliber handgun.

The suspects were AWOL soldiers from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, when the murder occured. Both were captured, convicted and sentenced to death. Their death sentences were later reduced to life in prison and both are still in custody.

He had served with the agency for 14 years and was assigned to Temple.

Bio

Age48

Tour14 years

BadgeNot available

Incident Details

CauseGunfire

WeaponHandgun; .32 caliber

OffenderSentenced to life in prison

Most Recent Reflection

I was a reporter for the Temple Daily Telegram from January 1974 through March 1979z I often encountered Hollie Tull and his partner, Sam Bartholomae, at the Temple PD. The day of his death, I was in Grand Prairie visiting my parents. I was out shopping when I heard of Hollie’s death onbthe car radio. He was not identified, but I said to myself, “I sure hope it wasn’t Hollie Tull.” I was much saddened when I returned to Temple
the next day and learned that indeed it was he. May he Rest In Peace. He and Sam Bartholomew were good officers and very congenial men. I still have the Temple Daily Telegram front-page article on Hollie’s death and I still remember him. The picture of him — the only picture I’ve ever seen of him - was the first picture I ever took for the Telegram, and it was when the Temple Exchange Club honored him as Patrolman of the Month earlier in 1974. Obviously, I was no great hand with a camera, and the photo didn’t do justice to him or the occasion of his well-deserved honor. But when he was killed, it was the only picture in the newspaper’s files. Like many who knew Hollie better than I did, I appreciated all the good I saw in him and I still remember him and Sam fondly. Sam pulled up behind my stopped carcalong I-35 on a snowy New Year’s night in 1978. I was having difficulty removing the quick-hardening ice from my windshield so I could drive up to mynparents’ Home. Sam knew me and gave me a piece of friendly advice NOT to go that night, and I didn’t. I salute these two great public servants and wish Hollie’s family well.